LEADERS
John Parrott
John Parrott, bivocational ministries specialist and Harvest Field 7 team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board since 2015, retired May 7. Parrott has been involved in the ministry since 1969 when he was a student at Carson-Newman University. He was called to his first pastorate in 1972 and served as a pastor until 1995 when he became the director of missions for Holston Baptist Association, based in Rogersville. He served as DOM for 19 years until his retirement in 2014. Parrott and his wife, Kathy, will continue to live in Rogersville.
Parkway Baptist Church, Townsend, recently called Carl Arp as pastor.
Jon Hawkins
First Baptist Church, Big Sandy, recently called Andrew Willhite as pastor.
Jon Hawkins joined the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff April 3 as training and volunteer coordinator. He has served in bivocational music ministry for nearly 20 years, including nearly 18 years at Powell’s Chapel Baptist Church in Murfreesboro. He also served as a corporate trainer in the banking industry. He and his wife, Bethany, have three children.
DEATHS
Former Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union president Tammy Saffel died April 25 in Little Rock, Ark., Saffel a former member of First Baptist Church, Waverly, and later Trace Creek Baptist Church, New Johnsonville, served as state WMU president from 2008-2012.
Loretta Mathis
Loretta Hughes Mathis, 76, of Murfreesboro, died April 2. She was a member of Mount Carmel Baptist Church and also taught organ and piano. She was also a teacher of music and cooking at Cason Lane Academy in Murfreesboro. Mrs. Mathis served as president of the Tennessee Baptist Minister’s Wives Association from November 1990 to October 1991. She also formerly served on the staff of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention (now Tennessee Baptist Mission Board). She is survived by her husband of 51 years, F. Murray Mathis, former president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, a son and five grandchildren.